Inspired Louisville beats Duke to reach Final Four

Sickened by Ware's gruesome injury, Cardinals get it together, earn trip to Atlanta

March 31, 2013|By Shannon Ryan, Chicago Tribune reporter

INDIANAPOLIS — Peyton Siva hoisted a Final Four trophy. Chane Behanan raised something even more meaningful.

The Louisville forward minutes earlier had slipped on the tight No. 5 jersey of injured teammate Kevin Ware, but at the conclusion of the Cardinals' 85-63 Elite Eight victory against second-seeded Duke, he lifted it for the roaring crowd to see.

The Cardinals had a greater cause Sunday night than making a second straight Final Four, where they will face No. 9 Wichita State.

Ware was lost in the first half to a gruesome lower-leg injury.

His right calf buckled and his leg bones snapped when he landed awkwardly following an attempt to contest a shot. Play stopped for several minutes as Ware was surrounded by teammates at Lucas Oil Stadium and then taken off the court on a stretcher.

"I don't think any of us, with what we had to witness, could have overcome it if it wasn't for Kevin Ware 12 times saying to the guys, 'I'll be fine. Win the game,' " Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. "He kept saying it over and over and over.' "

Teammates immediately withdrew in horror upon seeing the extent of his injury.

Luke Hancock bent over Ware, sympathetically patting his chest as Ware writhed in pain. Guard Russ Smith slumped over and cried. Pitino said he almost threw up and he wiped away tears before play resumed.

"When Kevin went down, it was devastating for all of us," Siva said. "Kevin Ware is really the reason why we pulled this game out. Everybody on the team just wanted to step up for him."

Ware underwent two-hour surgery Sunday night and had his bone reset, the injury closed and a rod inserted in his right tibia.

Instead of melting after halftime, the top-seeded Cardinals found their mettle.

Pitino's halftime message?

"Don't lose this game for Kevin Ware," Smith said.

The Cardinals used a 20-4 run fueled by Siva, Smith and center Gorgui Dieng to build a 62-46 lead with less than nine minutes remaining.